THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 33 



" I don't see why we are coming among these bushes," 

 said Tom. " I 've caught my net and torn it already." 



" Why, we are coming for Rhodora," said Rose. " It 

 grows along by the wall just the other side of the thicket. 

 But you would better carry back your net and leave it 

 on the grass. I wish you would take Hal's too, for I 

 need both hands to gather flowers with." 



Tom took the nets and went back with them. When 

 he returned, Hal and Rose had disappeared in the thicket ; 

 but he could hear their voices calling him, and he soon 

 found them by the side of an old moss-grown, tumbling 

 wall. By its side stretched a long, dark pool of water, 

 in which the wall and bushes and trees were clearly re- 

 flected, and along whose margin grew the Rhodora. The 

 beautiful plant was in full blossom ; some of the pretty 

 purple petals had fallen off and were floating slowly about 

 on the surface of the water. The children gathered a 

 large bunch, and then sat down on a great bed of moss 

 to rest, before going back for their nets. Rose gathered 

 some of the moss and amused herself by placing in it 

 such flowers as she found growing there. There was 

 Solomon's Seal and Wild Geranium, and under a large 

 Alder-bush Tom found a whole bed of Nodding Trillium, 

 or Wake Robin. When they had gathered all they could 

 carry, they went back to the place where they had left 

 their nets. 



3 



